Tickets: Where to Buy, What the Times Mean

Buying a ticket is the first part of the night, and it is where most of the avoidable mistakes happen. The good news is that the safe route is short: find the show, follow the link to the venue or the seller it uses, pay, and keep the confirmation where you can reach it without a signal.

Buy from the venue or its official seller

A real ticket is issued by the venue itself or by the ticketing company the venue has chosen. Sometimes that is a page on the venue's own website, sometimes it is a large national seller, sometimes it is a small local one. Every listing on Echolead has a Get tickets button, and it always goes to one of those two places. Nothing on Echolead sells tickets, and we never put ourselves between you and the seller.

If you reach a page that is not the venue and not the seller the venue names, stop and go back. A venue's own site almost always links to its seller, so you can check in under a minute.

Doors time and show time

Two times are usually printed, and they mean different things.

• Doors is when the building opens and you can walk in. Bars are open, merch is set up, and there is usually a recorded playlist or nothing at all.
• Show is when the first act is meant to start. It is not when the act you came for starts.

If you only want the headliner, arrive somewhere between those two times and expect to wait a while. If the room is standing and you want a spot near the stage, arrive at doors. Some shows list only one time. When that happens, treat it as the doors time and assume music starts a bit later.

Fees, and what you actually pay

The price on the first screen is often not the final one. Fees are added at checkout, so look at the total on the last page before you confirm. If the total surprises you, close the page and decide later. Nothing is held for you until you pay.

Will-call and mobile tickets

Most tickets now live on your phone, as a code the staff scan at the door. Charge the phone, turn the screen brightness up, and take a screenshot as a backup if the seller allows it.

Some tickets are held at will-call, a window near the entrance where you give your name and show photo identification. That is common when someone buys for a group, or when a ticket is transferred to you. Arrive a little earlier than you would otherwise, because there is often a line.

Buying from another fan

Sometimes a show sells out and the only tickets left belong to other people. This is where the risk is. A ticket sold outside the venue's official channels can be a copy, can be sold to several people at once, or can be cancelled by the original seller after you have paid.

If you do buy from another person:

• Use the seller's own transfer or resale feature, so the ticket moves from their account to yours and the old copy stops working.
• Be wary of screenshots, PDFs and anyone who wants payment in a form you cannot reverse.
• Be wary of a price that is far below what the show is going for. A bargain on a sold-out night is the usual sign of a fake.
• Ask the venue if you are unsure. Staff would rather answer a question than turn someone away at the door.

Spotting a fake

The signs are consistent. The seller is in a hurry. The price is suspiciously low. The code in the picture is blurred or has been cropped. The seller will not use the official transfer. Any one of these is a reason to walk away, and two together is a decision made for you.

Before you leave home

• Check the doors time, and add an allowance for travel and a line.
• Check the age rule. Some shows are all ages, some are limited to adults, and some let younger people in with an adult.
• Check what you can bring. Many venues restrict bag sizes, and some do not allow bags at all.
• Keep the confirmation somewhere you can open it offline.

If the show is cancelled or moved, the seller or the venue will contact the address you bought with. Keep an eye on that inbox, and look at the venue's page on the day.